The Power of Illusion
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The Story
It is said that a man visited one of the Roman philosophers at lunchtime, and the philosopher invited him to his feast. As the man began to drink his soup, he thought he saw a small snake in the bowl.
But he kept drinking, afraid of embarrassing the philosopher. When he returned home, he remained anxious about what he had consumed, and sure enough, a severe pain struck his stomach and kept him awake all night.
The Truth
In the morning, he went to the philosopher's house hoping to find a remedy for his suffering. How great was his astonishment when the philosopher told him there had been no snake in the bowl at all — it was merely the reflection of a snake painted on the ceiling.
To prove his words, he poured him another bowl of soup and placed it under the ceiling of the dining room, and the snake's image instantly reflected in it. The man was even more amazed when he felt his stomach pain vanish the very moment he learned the truth.
The Lesson
Then the philosopher said to him: "The snake exists only in your mind. Illusion has a strange psychological power that may turn into a tangible reality in the mind of the deluded person."
And how true are the words of the great scholar, the Chief Physician Ibn Sina (Avicenna):
"Illusion is half the disease, reassurance is half the cure, and patience is the first step of recovery."
Conclusion
Ease your burdens in these times, for Allah says: "Say: Nothing will befall us except what Allah has decreed for us."
O Allah, let this affliction pass without harm.
The original article was published on the blog Mafateeh Al-Hamdani | Al-Mukhaddram on 01/03/2022 by Mohammed Taher Hamdani.